High torque braking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11993263-B2
Application number	US-202318139394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2023
Priority date	Jun 2, 2022
Publication date	May 28, 2024
Grant date	May 28, 2024

Abstract

A method of automatically activating a high-torque braking system in a heavy-duty vehicle configured to operate in at least one low speed, high torque mode and at least one higher speed, lower torque mode is disclosed. The method includes determining a speed-controller device such as a joystick or lever of the vehicle is in a first position which results in the vehicle travelling in a higher-speed, lower-torque mode, and, responsive to detecting braking and a change in position of the speed-controller from the first position to a second, neutral, position, activating a low-speed high torque mode of operation for braking the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of automatically activating a high-torque braking system in a vehicle configured to operate in at least one low speed, high torque propulsion mode and at least one higher speed, lower torque propulsion mode, the method comprising:
determining a speed-controller lever of the vehicle is in a first position which results in the vehicle travelling in a higher-speed, lower-torque propulsion mode; and,
responsive to detecting braking and a change in position of the speed-controller lever from the first position to a second, neutral, position, activating a low-speed high torque propulsion mode to enhance braking of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the speed-controller lever is a joystick or FSR lever.

3. The method of claim 1 , the speed-controller lever is a joystick or FSR lever and wherein the inputs from the speed-controller lever control the propulsion system of the vehicle to activate the high-torque braking propulsion mode depending on one or more high-torque braking conditions being met.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change in position of the speed controller lever comprises:
moving the speed-controller lever from the first position, wherein the first position comprises a full forward position, to the second position, wherein the second position is obtained by moving the speed-controller lever back into the neutral position.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle beings to brake in the high-speed low torque propulsion mode and dynamically shifts to the low-speed high-torque propulsion mode during braking responsive to the change in position of the speed-controller lever from forward in the first position into neutral in the second position.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises an electronic control unit, ECU, which is configured, responsive to the detected movement of the speed-controller, to cause a 2-speed solenoid of a propulsion system of the vehicle to change the torque mode of the propulsion system of the vehicle from the high speed low torque propulsion mode to the low-speed high torque propulsion mode to brake the vehicle without requiring an operator to manually switch the vehicle from the high-speed low torque propulsion mode to the low-speed high-torque propulsion mode.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a time-delay is provided between detecting the movement triggering the high-torque braking and causing the propulsion system to operating in the high-torque braking propulsion mode.

8. A control system configured to automatically activate a high-torque braking system in a heavy-duty vehicle configured to operate in at least one low speed, high torque mode and at least one higher speed, lower torque mode, wherein the control system comprises:
memory;
one or more processors; and
a speed-controller lever position detector configured to detect a position of a speed-controller lever of the vehicle, any changes in position of the speed-controller lever, and if the vehicle is operating in a high-speed low torque mode of propulsion;
a braking detector configured to detect braking of the vehicle; and
a low-speed high-torque activator configured to activating a low-speed high torque mode of propulsion for assisting braking of the vehicle responsive to the controller determining the propulsion system of the vehicle is operating in a high-speed, low-torque mode and the speed-controller position detector detecting a change in position of the speed-controller lever from the first position to a neutral position.

9. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the system comprises computer-program code which, when loaded from memory and executed by the one or more processors, configures the speed-controller lever position detector, the braking detector, and the low-speed high-torque activator to cause the control system to implement a method of automatically activating a high-torque braking system in a vehicle configured to operate in at least one low speed, high torque propulsion mode and at least one higher speed, lower torque propulsion mode, the method comprising:
determining a speed-controller lever of the vehicle is in a first position which results in the vehicle travelling in a higher-speed, lower-torque propulsion mode; and,
responsive to detecting braking and a change in position of the speed-controller lever from the first position to a second, neutral, position, activating a low-speed high torque propulsion mode to enhance braking of the vehicle.

10. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the system comprises computer-program code which, when loaded from memory and executed by the one or more processors, configures the speed-controller lever position detector, the braking detector, and the low-speed high-torque activator to cause the control system to implement a method of automatically activating a high-torque braking system in a vehicle configured to operate in at least one low speed, high torque propulsion mode and at least one higher speed, lower torque propulsion mode, the method comprising:
determining a speed-controller lever of the vehicle is in a first position which results in the vehicle travelling in a higher-speed, lower-torque propulsion mode; and,
responsive to detecting braking and a change in position of the speed-controller lever from the first position to a second, neutral, position, activating a low-speed high torque propulsion mode to enhance braking of the vehicle, wherein the speed-controller lever is a joystick or FSR lever.

11. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the system comprises computer-program code which, when loaded from memory and executed by the one or more processors, configures the speed-controller lever position detector, the braking detector, and the low-speed high-torque activator to cause the control system to implement a method of automatically activating a high-torque braking system in a vehicle configured to operate in at least one low speed, high torque propulsion mode and at least one higher speed, lower torque propulsion mode, the method comprising:
determining a speed-controller lever of the vehicle is in a first position which results in the vehicle travelling in a higher-speed, lower-torque propulsion mode; and
responsive to detecting braking and a change in position of the speed-controller lever from the first position to a second, neutral, position, activating a low-speed high torque propulsion mode to enhance braking of the vehicle, wherein the speed-controller lever is a joystick or FSR lever and wherein the inputs from the speed-controller lever control the propulsion system of the vehicle to activate the high-torque braking propulsion mode depending on one or more high-torque braking conditions being met.

12. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the system comprises computer-program code which, when loaded from memory and executed by the one or more processors, configures the speed-controller lever position detector, the braking detector, and the low-speed high-torque activator to cause the control system to implement a method of automatically activating a high-torque braking system in a vehicle configured to operate in at least one low speed, high torque propulsion mode and at least one higher speed, lower torque propulsion mode, the method comprising:
determining a speed-controller lever of the vehicle is in a first position which results in the vehicle travelling in a higher-speed, lower-torque propulsion mode; and,
responsive to detecting braking and a change in position of the speed-controller lever from the first position to a second, neutral, position, activating a low-speed high torque propulsion mode to enhanc

Assignees

• Volvo Constr Equip Ab

Inventors

• Shimoga Harisha
• Krishnan Natesh

Classifications

• B60W30/18109 Primary

  Braking · CPC title

• B60T7/12 Primary

  for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger {(limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00)} · CPC title

• B60W10/10

  including control of change-speed gearings · CPC title

• B60W10/18

  including control of braking systems · CPC title

• B60W2510/101

  Transmission neutral state · CPC title